# Why the Habs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 14, 2002, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-habs/108956 "2002-05-14T02:56:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-habs/108956/1 "2002-05-14T02:56:14Z")
Having just watched my 'Canes beat the Montreal Canadiens quite handily to take their series, this question has begun to nag at me: Why do they call the Candiens the Habs? I figure it’s related to the H that is part of their logo, but what does that stand for? Inquiring minds want to know! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_B.Goode](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/958977/32.png) [@Johnny\_B.Goode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_B.Goode)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-habs/108956/2 "2002-05-14T03:30:23Z")
From the NHL site: [http://nhl.com/hockeyu/puckology/puckology.html](http://nhl.com/hockeyu/puckology/puckology.html) Habs A nickname for the Montreal Canadiens. The word comes from the French “habitant” (those who live here). ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-habs/108956/3 "2002-05-14T05:57:53Z")
Raleigh, NC. Hockeytown, USA! ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-habs/108956/4 "2002-05-14T06:12:14Z")
The “H” inside the Canadiens’ “C” is frequently mistaken for meaning “habitant.” The emblem really stands for “Club de Hockey.” (The “C” for “Club” not “Canadien” and the “H” is for “Hockey” not “habitant.” ---
**Author:** ![NYR407](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@NYR407](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NYR407)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-habs/108956/5 "2002-05-14T14:22:04Z")
Correct Dignan. So doesn’t this pose the question how nickname Habs is falsely believed to be represented by the H on the jeresey? I went on their website but the only reference I found is that when the club officially changed their name to Club de Hockey Canadien they adopted the CH logo. See November 26, 1917 on link: [http://www.canadiens.com/english/hist/](http://www.canadiens.com/english/hist/) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-habs/108956/6 "2002-05-14T16:59:30Z")
All I can say after last night’s game is: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO And I don’t even LIKE sports. ---
**Author:** ![Melandry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Melandry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melandry)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-habs/108956/7 "2002-05-14T19:03:53Z")
More detailed info on the site about the source of the H/Habs mix-up: [http://www.canadiens.com/english/infos/personnel/habs.cfm](http://www.canadiens.com/english/infos/personnel/habs.cfm) ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-habs/108956/8 "2002-05-14T21:25:56Z")
I had heard something along the lines of “Habitants of the 1st division” from back when the Canadiens were perenialially (sp?) amongst the leaders of the league